AWS has introduced a significant evolution in cloud cost optimization with the launch of AWS Database Savings Plans. This new pricing model brings simplified commitment, broader coverage, and higher flexibility for database workloads ---addressing the limitations of traditional On-Demand pricing and Reserved Instances (RIs).
In this article, we break down what Database Savings Plans offer, how they work, which AWS databases are supported, and how this model differs from previous pricing structures. We also provide real examples to help you clearly understand the impact of this change.
⮚ What Are AWS Database Savings Plans?
AWS Database Savings Plans are a 1-year commitment to a fixed \$/hour spend, offering discounted rates on a wide range of AWS managed database services. Instead of committing to a specific database instance type or Region (as you did with RIs), you commit to a predictable hourly spend and receive automatic discounts across eligible usage.
⮚ Database Types Supported Under Savings Plans
The new model applies to both provisioned and serverless deployments across multiple database engines:
Relational Databases (RDS & Aurora)
Amazon RDS -- MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, Oracle, SQL Server
Amazon Aurora -- MySQL-compatible, PostgreSQL-compatible
NoSQL & Specialized Databases
Amazon DynamoDB (table throughput + serverless)
Amazon DocumentDB (MongoDB-compatible)
Amazon Neptune (graph database)
Amazon Keyspaces (Apache Cassandra-compatible)
In-memory Databases
Amazon ElastiCache -- Redis, Memcached
Amazon MemoryDB for Redis
This coverage is significantly broader compared to what was offered under Reserved Instances.
⮚ How Much Can You Save? (According to AWS)
Up to 35% savings for serverless database usage
Up to 20% savings for provisioned instance usage
DynamoDB:
~18% savings on On-Demand throughput
~12% savings on provisioned capacity
All discounts are automatically applied as long as they fall within your committed spend.
⮚ Database Savings Plans vs Traditional Pricing: What's the Difference?
1. Flexibility
| Old (RIs & On-Demand) | New (Database Savings Plan) |
|---|---|
| Discounts tied to specific instance type/size/Region | Discounts apply across engines, sizes, families, Regions |
| Switching DB engine loses RI benefit | Switch engines anytime (RDS → Aurora → DynamoDB) |
| Hard to manage multi-account DB usage | Applies automatically across eligible usage |
2. Commitment Model
| Old Model | New Model |
|---|---|
| Commit to specific instance configuration | Commit to $/hour spend, not instances |
| Changing architecture reduces RI efficiency | Architecture changes do NOT affect your savings |
3. Coverage Breadth
| Old Model | New Model |
|---|---|
| Only specific DB engines and instance types | RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB, DocumentDB, Neptune, ElastiCache, MemoryDB, serverless modes |
4. Savings Potential
OLD: RIs could save money, but only within strict boundaries
NEW:
35% off serverless
20% off provisioned
Extra savings for NoSQL and throughput-based databases
⮚ Example: RDS MySQL (Provisioned Instance)
Scenario
You run a db.m5.large -- RDS MySQL instance for production.
Usage: Always ON (24×7).
Region: ap-south-1 (Mumbai)
⮚ Old Pricing Model (Before Savings Plans)
On-Demand
db.m5.large On-Demand cost ≈ \$0.192/hour
Monthly cost: \$138
Yearly cost: \$1,660
⮚ New Pricing Model (Database Savings Plan)
Database Savings Plan (1-year, no upfront)
Discounts up to 20% for provisioned databases
New discounted rate ≈ \$0.153/hour
Monthly cost: \$112
Yearly cost: \$1,340
⮚ Conclusion
The launch of AWS Database Savings Plans marks a major shift in cloud cost optimization. Unlike the old Reserved Instance model, these new plans offer flexibility, broader coverage, and predictable savings across multiple database engines, deployment models, and Regions.
